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Loving Into Wholeness

  It has been just over a week now since Tune has come into our life.  If you had told me ten days ago that I would now be completely smitten with a nearly ten-year-old dog I would have been very surprised.  These are the things that can happen when you allow the Spirit to lead and open your heart to hidden treasure.  It feels especially significant to me that we first met her on the feast of Epiphany for she has been a great gift.  We were going to wait until after our big trip this summer to adopt

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January 16, 2007

Snowy Wonder

Last Wednesday night it snowed and then the temperatures dropped down below freezing so schools were closed because of icy roads and Thursday my husband and I had the surprise gift of a day off together.  We walked up to Volunteer Park and delighted in snowy wonder.  It is unusual for Seattle to get any snow at all so people are unprepared when it happens, although this is the second time in a month and a half we have had this front of arctic air move in, and the third time for unusual and severe weather patterns.  So I finally got

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January 15, 2007

Sabbath Feasting

Last night we invited four of our neighbors over for our Sabbath evening meal.  Below I share two new recipes I used that turned out really well and were not hard to make.  We feasted on good food and wine and then laughed for hours playing board games.  Our neighbors are delightful people, not folks we would probably get the chance to know otherwise.  What we seem to have in common is an ecological commitment, a commitment to our building and neighborhood, and a desire to enjoy the company of others and have some fun.  The table was prepared in the afternoon as I gathered

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January 14, 2007

Sacred Earth

I am the vine and you are the branches. -John 15:5 God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. -Exodus 3:5 This earth we are riding keeps trying to tell us something with its continuous scripture of leaves.  –William Stafford I love the element of earth. I adore trees and mountains. I love the feel of dirt or sand under my feet.  The earth feels solid and secure, grounding me here in this place, in this moment.  When I am deeply rooted, my branches can reach far and wide. When

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January 10, 2007

Sacred Wind

A feather on the breath of God. -Hildegard of Bingen On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.  -Rumi The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.  -John 3:8 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there

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January 10, 2007

Holy Fire

Abba Lot came to Abba Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and, according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire.  He said: Why not become fire? -Desert Fathers Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves and gravity, we shall harness for God energies of love. Then for

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January 9, 2007

Gifts of the Winter God

My teaching days were filled with good energy and a sense of exploration.  I love teaching this program and the women who participate so freely and joyfully.  The focus of this session was visual art and the first day we explored “gush art” and art journaling methods, using clay and drawing materials in a free and spontaneous way to express what is stirring inside of us.  The second day we focused on images of God and “letting God out of the box” and making a triptych (out of a shoebox) and collage materials to create an altar for the sacred images that

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January 8, 2007

Epiphany

Friday and Saturday is our next Awakening the Creative Spirit session and so I will be very busy the next couple of days and then recovering!  We are exploring visual art this time and I am the lead teacher (Betsey and I switch back and forth depending on the art form we are exploring).  I am eager to be with the wonderful women in our group again. Sunday is the Feast of Epiphany in the Christian Church.  I love the story of Epiphany:  Strangers following a star in the hopes of a sacred encounter, trusting their intuitions, allowing God to be so

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January 4, 2007

Welcome to ‘Abbey of the Arts’

I spent some of my time away over Christmas reflecting on the year ahead and what direction I want to take some of my creative work.  I am not much into goal-setting, because my spiritual path tends to be much more organic, focused on listening to what is emerging and unfolding in me in a particular moment and trying to honor that impulse.  In many ways this practice is a balance to my own natural tendency to live in the future and always imagine what is next.  I do value big visions, as long as part of my plans are to make

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January 3, 2007

We Have Not Come to Take Prisoners

We have not come here to take prisoners, But to surrender ever more deeply To freedom and joy. We have not come into this exquisite world To hold ourselves hostage from love. Run my dear, From anything That may not strengthen Your precious budding wings. Run like hell my dear, From anyone likely To put a sharp knife Into the sacred, tender vision Of your beautiful heart. We have a duty to befriend Those aspects of obedience That stand outside of our house And shout to our reason “O please, O please, Come out and play.” For we have not

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January 2, 2007